Dispensing vessel



May 8, 1923. 1,454,803 B. N. WELLS DISPENS ING VESSEL Filed 'April 18. 1922 Patented May 8, 1923.

uien STATE-s BENJAMIN N. wnLLs, or RALEIGH, NORTH CARLINA, ,AssIeNoR lTHE sEAMLnss CAN a BUCKET Co., or BALTIMORE, MAnYLANn, A conPonATIoN or'NrANTENA Nn.

nIsPnNsING vnssEL.

Application filed April 18,1922. Serial No'. 554,884.'

T o all whom t may concern/.

Be itr known that I, BENJAMIN N. WELLS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Raleigh, in the county ofWake and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dispensing Vessels, of which the following is a specification. f

This invention relates to an attachment for cans or other closed vessels of the type having a pouring spout and a vent tube controlled by valves. In the present invention, the vent tube and the 'spout are normally closed' at their inner ends by ball valves, which valves roll from their seats when the can is tilted from the upright to the pouring position and roll back to their seats when the can is brought back to its upright position. Such cans are particularly desirable as containers for the more volatile liquids, such as benzine or gasolene, as the valves are always closed when the can is in upright ,'position,'and hence no loss occurs through the escape of vapors from the vessel. If the can is tipped over accidentally, however, the contents vwill run out through the spout unless some means is provided for holding the ball valve in the spout against its seat. I therefore provide a' simpleand inexpensive attachment in the spout whereby the ball valve in the spout may be locked against its seat,"to prevent the spilling of the can contents, which attachment is accessible at the outer'end of the spout and may be adjusted to release or lock the ball. This attachment comprises a'rod movablelongitudinally in the spout and having means at one end for yieldingly engaging the ball, and means at its opposite end for engaging the spout to lock the attachment in either its inner or .outer position. l

In the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 is a central vertical section through the upper portion of a can equipped with my improvements, the can being shown in upright position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the can tilted into position to pour out its contents;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and 7Figa is a side elevation of the locking rod for the valve.

Referring to the drawing, a represents a'v the can. vent tube eextends parallelito u the spout and preferably extends' slightly beyond the outer end ofv the`latter,'as. shown. This tube extends through the .topfy of the can and then along the underside of the 'top to a point diametrically opposite the spout. The inner side ofthe vent tube extends into a box-like valve casing 1, having an opening or port 2 in its lower-side, which'port is closed by a ball valve` when the can is in the upright position shown in Fig.1.v When the can'4 is tilted` to pour its contents out through the spout, the valve 3 rolls out of the seat 2 toward-the end ofy the vent tube. In order .to prevent the ball from closing the vent tube, apin 4 is arranged in the'valve casing immediately in front of the end ofthe tube. v. l The top'of the can is formed with an opening or port 5which is surrounded by the spout, andl aball valve closes this port when the can is'in the uprightposition, as shown in Fig. 1, and is adaptedf'to roll out of thek port when the can is inclined, as shownin Fig. 2. I These ball valves, it `will be evident,.wll prevent vapors arisingfromfvolatile liquids in the can `from escaping to the atmosphere when the can is in upright position. When the can is tilted to pour out its contents. both valves will leave their seats andthe liquid will pour out ofthe-spout while air will flow into the can through the, vent tube.v yIf the can spout and the end of the tube are inserted in a vesselinto` whichtheliquid-is being poured, it will be evident that whenthelliq-` uid reaches the height ofthefspout and tube,

the How of liquid willstop becausethe vent tube as well asfthespout willbeclosed Aby the liquid'in there'ceying vessel. i i' It is desirableJ when the cans are for .ball valve in the spout, `consisting of a rod composed of several strands of spring wire 7, 8, 9, which are soldered or brazed, or otherwise secured together throughout the greater portions of their lengths but separated near one end, as shown at 7a, 8*", and 9a, to form a resilient end for engaging the valve, and one of the wires, as 9, is extended beyond the others at the opposite end and bent over at right angles to form an arm 9", the extremity of which is turned backward parallel with the wire 9 to form a hook 9". A flat narrow supporting strip l0 extends across the interior of the spout at a distance from the ball valve greater than the length of the feet 7, 8a, 9, and the rod o extends freely through an opening l()a in the strip 10. The outer end of the pouring spout is provided at one side with a bayonet slot ll, adapted to receive the right-angled arm 9b of the r-od c.

Vhenthe can is not in use, the rod c is pressed inward against the ball 6 and the arm 910 engages the bayonet slot 11 and thereby the rod is locked against longitudinal movement and the spring feet 7a, 8n and 9-a press the ball against'the valve seat. When it is desired to our liquid from the can, the operator by taking hold of the arm 9b, which is accessible at the outer end` of the spout, moves the arm into alinement with the part lla ofthe bayonet slot and then pulls outwardly on the rod, thus lifting the feet 7a, Say and 92L out of engagement with the ball. As the rod is pulled outward, these spring arms or feet engage the wall of the opening l0a and limit the distance to which the rod may be pulled outwardly. To lock the rod in the pouring position, the operator swings the arm 9b across the end of the vent tube and the hooked end 9c of the rod enters the tube and thereby locks the rod in its outer position. While the rod is thus secured, the ball is free to roll into. or out of the port 5 as the can is moved between the pouring and theupright positions. When the operator is through pouringthe liquid, he again brings the can to the upright positionand then unhooks the rod from the endr of the vent tube and presses the arm 9b into the bayonet slot, thereby locking the ball valve 6' in p0- sition to close the port and prevent spilling of the contents. in case the can is tippedV over.

Vhat I claim is:

l. 'The combination with a vessel having a top provided with an opening and a spout on the top surrounding said opening, of a ball adapted to seat in said opening when thc vessel is upright and to roll from its seat when the vessel is tilted, and means for holding said ball on its seat comprisinga rod extending into the spout and having a resilient end adapted to bearfagainst the ball, said rod being adjustable longitudinally of the spout to lock and release the ball.

2. The combintion with a vessel having a top provided with an opening and a spoutl on the top surrounding said opening, of a ball adapted to seat in said opening when the vessel is upright and to roll from its seat when the vessel is tilted, and means for holding said ball on its seat comprising a rod having a resilient end adapted to bear against the balland extending to the outer end of the spout, said rod being movable longitudinally of the spout and having means for engaging the spout to lock the rod in its inner position.

3. The combination with a vessel having a top provided with an opening and a spout on the top surrounding said opening, of a ball adaptedto seat in said opening when the vessel is upright and to roll from its seat when the vessel is tilted, and means for hold- Y ing said ball on its seat comprising a rod having resilient forked arms at one -end adapted to engage the ball, said rod extending to the outer end of the spout and having a laterally extending arm at its outer end, and said spout having a bayonet slot adapted to receive said laterally extending arm.

Ll. rlhe combination with a vessel having a top provided with an opening and a spout on the top surrounding said opening, of a ball adapted to seat in said opening when the vessel is upright and to roll from its seat when the vessell is tilted, and means for holding said ball on its seatv comprising a rod having resilient forked arms at one end adapted to engage the ball, said rod extending to the outer endof the spout and having a laterally extending arm at its outer end, said spout having a bayonet slot adaptedl to .receive said lateral-ly extending arm anda cross bar in the spout having a guide opening through which said rod extends.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature BENJAMIN N. VVEL'LS.

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